My Dissertation by Lillian Sesiguzel

THE SEMIOTICS AND AESTHETICS OF CONTEMPORARY FASHION MAGAZINES

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ............................................................... 02 INITIAL ATTRACTION ..................................................... 05 Cosmopolitan 06-09 Vogue 10-13 Dazed & Confused 14-17 i-D 18-21 Notes 22

PERSONALITY IMPRESSIONS ..................................... 23 Adverts 22-39 Shoots 40-55 Notes 56

INTERDEPENDENCE ....................................................... 57 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................ 59

INTRODUCTION Fashion: ‘a form of culture characterized by opposition between two countervailing, historically established, cultural discourses, one of which romanticizes fashion while the other trivializes it, using moralistic, inner-directed perspective.’1 Fashion thrives because of its ability to disseminated multiple meanings as an art form. The interest shown from society that is generated through fashion is compared to that of arts’, as ‘there is no longer one dominant movement but a multitude of directions’2 in which society explore and create judgments through. The passage above written by Diana Crane highlights the opposition of direction in fashion, as the industry rarely displays a harmonious status, becoming all the more interesting to critique. Acting as my thesis, I intend to draw upon Crane’s definition of fashion but with reference to magazines. Infusing fashion with print media creates a strong platform for presenting the ambiguity of fashion as Laurel Forster states that magazines ‘are polysemic texts.’3 In light of this I will be applying Crane’s established oppositions to four British-edition fashion magazines, looking at how high-end magazines, such as Vogue and Cosmopolitan, ‘romanticize’ fashion, comparing this to how more alternative titles, such as Dazed & Confused and i-D, ‘trivialize’ it. Accompanying this, I will incorporate how romanticising fashion usually points to a more traditional ideal by exaggerating the unrealistic, whereas trivialising fashion requires a more suggestive nature: not positioned on a pedestal, being grounded by morals, meaning that by focusing around the idea of deglamourisation, they are more concerned with presenting reality. Furthermore, this parallel that Crane has recognised naturally affects female presentation in magazines. She extends her argument stating:

‘if traditional standards of feminine demeanor are still accepted by women, they are likely to respond negatively to images that do not conform to these standards.’4 Tradition is typically associated with Vogue and Cosmopolitan holding a vast reputation and amount of respect from their extensive history of popularity. However, the suggestive female is usually seen in Dazed & Confused and i-D, modern works that take a more liberated approach, but why should this be seen as negative? Why is the traditional way the right way, like high-end magazines make out? In the study of aestheticism, applying this to visual elements in contemporary magazines, its ‘good points are either its most romanticist or its most modernist moments,’5 indicating that visual pleasure is sourced from both oppositions of fashion that Crane mentions. However, Giles Lipovetsky argues against Crane’s parallel stating that society ‘need to stop viewing these supposedly heterogeneous fields in such hierarchical terms,’6 although the study of semiotics contradicts

this statement, since fashion is constantly given new meaning within contemporary culture, semiotics focuses on how society apply that meaning to the signified and recognise that it is subjected to constant change. As well as development through time, this is primarily due to class conformities in society, disproving Lipovetsky’s hope that we can abolish a hierarchical structure in fashion. This concept keeps fashion thriving as multiple connotations fuel the ideal to follow fashion.

attention to Initial Attraction being the first aspect we are faced with when meeting someone: their ‘cover’. I will be comparing the four selected magazines, looking at why they are aesthetically pleasing and how each title has manipulated their design to enhance attraction to the reader. After this preliminary stage comes ‘getting to know,’ which is entitled Personality Impressions. Here I will be evaluating whether the content of the magazine is in keeping with its initial aesthetics. By doing so I will be analysing image content looking at their power and how they present fashion. Finally, I will be addressing Interdependence: whether each party can successfully depend on the other, commonly involving a particular focus on trust at this point in a relationship. Two options stand at this last stage being the embracing or the rejection of the magazine in question, and how this impacts the magazine’s ‘influence, authority, popularity and cultural competence making them significant objects of critical enquiry.’10

In conjunction with class, gender hegemony is frequently addressed in regards to fashion and in Crane’s paper. Alongside aesthetics and semiotics, feminism has formed a direct correlation with fashion since it is most commonly associated with women, but under the observation that ‘fashion is more than just clothing. Fashion also dictates a specific ideal of beauty.’7 In relation to print magazines, photography lies at the forefront of feminist critique as some females ‘argue that media images of women are always directed at men and that women are encouraged to looks at themselves and other women the way men do.’8 However interestingly, although photography is seen by feminists to degrade women, often through sexualisation, this popular belief can be reverted as some ‘women are said to view images identified with hegemonic femininity not as signs of weakness and passivity in women but as indications of being “in control” of their sexuality.’9 The relationship between a reader and the magazine is analogized in my study resembling the workings of a human relationship, as they hold similar principles highlighted in my chapter titles. I will begin by drawing

NOTES

1 Crane, Diana ‘Gender and Hegemony in Fashion Magazines: Women’s Interpretations of Fashion Photographs’. The Sociological Quarterly, 40 (4), 1999, p.543. 2 Brand, Jan & José Teunissen ed. Smelik, Anneke The Power of Fashion: About Design and Meaning. Arnhem, Netherlands: ArtEZ Press, 2006, p.155. 3 Forster, Laurel Magazine Movements: Women’s Culture, Feminisms and Media Form. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015, p.3. 4 Crane, Diana ‘Gender and Hegemony in Fashion Magazines: Women’s Interpretations of Fashion Photographs’. The Sociological Quarterly, 40 (4), 1999, p.542. 5 Schaffer, Talia and Kathy Alexis Psomiades Women and British Aestheticism. Charlottesville: The University Press of Virginia, 1999, p.7. 6 Brand, Jan & José Teunissen ed. Lipovetsky, Gilles The Power of Fashion: About Design and Meaning. Arnhem, Netherlands: ArtEZ Press, 2006, p.82. 7 Brand, p.169. 8 Crane, Diana ‘Gender and Hegemony in Fashion Magazines: Women’s Interpretations of Fashion Photographs’. The Sociological Quarterly, 40 (4), 1999, p.541. 9 Crane, p.542. 10 Forster, Laurel Magazine Movements: Women’s Culture, Feminisms and Media Form. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015, p.1.

INITIAL ATTRACTION

In this chapter I will be analysing the aesthetics of a magazine’s cover, how elements such as typography, photography and overall layout are shaped through design to draw the reader’s attention to the issue. This initial interaction is often where the relationship between the reader and the magazine is formed or abandoned, as ‘it is the magazine’s face … Like a person’s face it is the primary indicator of a personality.’1 Alongside this, ‘fashion graphics can operate at sophisticated levels to convey attitudes towards style, identity and desire to particular audiences and readers.’2 With the cover being the first page a reader will see, its visual presentation is expected to be powerful enough to entice the reader to explore further, and alongside this give a strong impression of the magazine’s essence through branding. As each title presents themselves very differently, I have chosen to hone in on specific topics that particularly apply to each title’s covers, avoiding simply reeling off every element of the design and not analysing its importance in depth. Furthermore, I will also be looking at design elements in a way of limiting the reader’s engagement, taking age, class and popular culture into account, as I analyse the different approaches high-end and alternative fashion magazines take in regards to their design.

Cosmopolitan, December 2014 (ed. Louise Court) EDITORIAL INFLUENCE In 1979 Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief Gurley Brown had considered a redesign of the cover ‘by cutting the number of blurbs from eight or nine to only five and enlarging the typeface for dramatic effect.’3 However, she decided against a cleaner design approach and ‘canceled the redesign because it was too difficult to choose only five items for blurbs.’4 Between 2014 and 2015 Cosmopolitan UK saw a change in the position of editor-in-chief, with the cover presented opposite produced under the management of Louise Court. From first glance it is clear to see that Court has kept within Brown’s busy design style, matching how the magazine has always been sufficiently filled, ignoring

the use of white space that many other magazines prefer. As this December 2014 issue shows, there are seven blurbs (chunks of brief text that give clues to the reader on what is inside the issue) on the cover, highlighting that years after Brown’s management Cosmopolitan’s crowded covers have only slightly changed. The decision to keep development in design at a minimal is mostly concerned with branding, as since the fashion magazine was created in 1965,5 readers have formed a comfortable reliance on the design of the cover, being able to distinguish a copy of Cosmopolitan from a copy of Glamour if the title had been removed, for example. Resulting in their design always playing safe, meaning the cover doesn’t innovate like alternative magazines. Cosmopolitan continues to follow the basic formula concocted fifty years previously,’6 but Brown’s suggestion about increasing the typeface in size has been an area of focus in the magazine’s design, as the reader is hit with a wide array of sizes and fonts when looking at this cover. I believe that the typography presented on this cover does project the magazine’s lighthearted and entertaining approach to fashion, especially in regards to Court’s consent with using a circus-like font in the bottom left hand corner, accompanied with sparkle graphics. However, this design may be seen by some readers as juvenile, showing Cosmopolitan are less concerned with the seriousness of fashion as they mix contrasting typefaces together like a collage almost. This points to Cosmopolitan being aimed at a younger demographic, therefore they are not catering to older age ranges through their design, neglecting women who have a more mature appetite for fashion.

Cosmopolitan, December 2015 (ed. Farrah Storr) This December 2015 issue marked a significant shift in Cosmopolitanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history as Court resigned from her position as editor-in-chief and Farrah Storr took over, with this issue being her debut into her new role. Already there is a noticeable change in the cover, decreasing the amount of blurbs to six and consistently using a simplistic sans-serif font. I feel changing these design elements make the overall layout of the cover more appealing, especially for a stereotypical older demographic, as the design is a lot tidier and organised, losing the graphics that made the cover look slightly chaotic and expressed an unsophisticated quality.

Vogue, September 2014 (ed. Alexandra Shulman) FASHION FOCUS

Storr’s influence over the cover design in Cosmopolitan’s December 2015 issue, can be compared to this September 2014 issue of British Vogue. Similar to Storr, editor-in-chief Alexandra Shulman also uses blurbs on the cover of Vogue, and even more so than Cosmopolitan. With this cover presenting eight blurbs, the page is noticeably filled, but the typography, colour palette and positioning of the text disguises the busy layout and exhibits a high-end, polished finish for high-end fashion. The focus on clothing in Vogue is obviously a major feature but with the September issue being the important issue of the year, as it marks a new year of fashion, this puts a more significant emphasis on the clothing presented on Vogue’s covers. Roland Barthes comments on clothing, ‘as an object of appearance, [that] flatters our modern curiosity about social psychology, inviting us to go beyond the obsolete limits of the individual and of society: what is interesting in clothing is that it seems to participate to the greatest depth in the widest sociality.’7 But the jacket displayed on this cover is primarily interested with participating in one sociality in particular, those generally who come from an upper middle class background and above. Therefore, Vogue is a platform for designers to advertise their work as they share a target audience concerning class, as those with substantial amounts of money are what high-end designers appeal to, given their own hefty price tags.

Vogue, September 2015 (ed. Alexandra Shulman) The dress displayed on this September 2015 cover, signals how Vogue uses design to attract specific classes of readers by using haut couture brands rather than high street ones, that would appeal to less privileged levels in the class system. Barthes acknowledged this relationship between clothing and the restrictions that are presented depending on someone’s class, as he states ‘vestimentary systems [link] very tightly … with social [states] (bourgeoise, nobility, peasantry, etc.)’8 This then is another hindrance to being attracted by a Vogue cover, as high-end fashion can often be intimidating, ending in the reader acknowledging the luxurious dress, simultaneously projecting the message that this magazine’s content is concerned with only extravagant fashion, influencing the reader’s decision in abandoning the magazine.

Dazed & Confused, A/W 2014 (ed. Isabella Burley) LESS IS MORE In comparison to the previous magazines, the style Dazed & Confused use for their covers is almost at the other end of the spectrum regarding design, however ‘magazine design cannot … be generalized; it is always a specific problem. Each publication has its own problems, its own aims, its own conditions and limitations.’9 Noticeably, there is only one blurb presented in this design, advertising Nicki Minaj’s presence in this issue, and there are no further clues as to what content the magazine contains. There is a fine line between the success of this type of cover style and the possibility that it is ignored on the shelves, as ‘according to research carried out for the PPA, the cover is a publisher’s main method of enticing shoppers to buy.’10 This design approach can affect the reader in two ways. One, that the reader is intrigued by the issue because there are no spoilers as to what is inside, aside from obviously including Minaj which gives this issue quite a specific identity. Or two, they abandon the issue because there is little information into what they’re buying, leading to the reader questioning whether the magazine will suit them.

Dazed & Confused, A/W 2015 (ed. Tim Noakes) A year on and former editor-in-chief Burley has left Dazed & Confused, with Tim Noakes taking her place. Noakes’ influence over the cover design is minimal, still firmly exhibiting a clean, one blurb style. Yet, there seems to be more mystery presented to the reader, as Noakes chooses Mia Goth to star on the cover, a relatively low-key actress, that many people are unaware of as her success is more widely known in American. This decision on celebrity endorsement is problematic to the enticement of readers, as if the reader is unfamiliar with Mia Goth, being the only blurb on the cover, then really they are completely detached from the issue as nothing else is presented for them to engage with. ‘Editors do seem to agree that several factors do make a difference [regarding the cover and sales] – namely … celebrity’11 culture ‘for their mass appeal.’12

i-D, winter 2014 (ed. Holly Shackleton) KEEPING IT FRESH i-D is not just a fashion magazine, i-D is a magazine that focuses on ‘difference and collaboration rather than sameness and collectivity,’ as the magazine’s cover has nearly always exhibited portraiture photography, not concerned with the presentation of clothing, as established in the tagline. The theme of winking or covering one eye throughout the history of i-D covers is a nod towards their logo as ‘i’ has been interpreted as one closed eye and one open, which is incredibly iconic placed in the top left hand corner. This feature is essentially a requirement for the magazine’s branding, with editor-in-chief Holly Shackleton firmly committed to the tradition. However, the difference between each gesture is quite significant and i-D play on this by creating a mix of covers that keeps their branding fresh and interesting. Regarding, the aesthetics of the cover, it can be comparable in terms of the readers mood and emotion that is evoked, to a work of art for example, as ‘the very nature of emotional response to works of art drives us away from general theory and back towards a study of particular works,’14 as the reader eagerly waits for what the magazine’s next cover is going to express. This winter 2014 issue comes across as more favorable towards showcasing fashion, with striking earrings and a smoldering seductive model-like look. Although because of the light colour palette, particularly the sky blue background, the cover overall emits confidence yet in a positive energy.

i-D, winter 2015 (ed. Holly Shackleton) This cover, a year later, communicates a very different mood as although â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the design [is] defiantly non-elitist, yet the colours add a degree of sophistication,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;15 with the monochromatic photography suggesting a serious tone and importance of the subject. Again like the previous cover there is little focus on clothing, only a fur coat that is slightly visible. However, alongside the cat-eye makeup and nails, there is an overall influence of fashion presented, although less prominent than the cover before. This cover emits an alluring quality, as the gesture of cover one half of your face is very alternative, not typically seen in editorial photography, let alone on a cover. i-D use this to their advantage as their branding is so well known and strong that other magazines cannot imitate them, because popular culture is familiar with the origins of this strange gesture.

NOTES

1 McKay, Jenny The Magazines Handbook. 3rd ed. Oxford: Routledge, 2013, p.209. 2 Aynsley, Jeremy & Kate Forde ed. Design and the Modern Magazine. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2007, p.37. 3 Landers, James The Improbable First Century of Cosmopolitan Magazine. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2010, p.287. 4 Landers, pp.287-288. 5 Landers, p.vii. 6 Landers, p.x. 7 Barthes, Roland The Language of Fashion. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013, p.20. 8 Barthes, p.21. 9 McKay, Jenny The Magazines Handbook. 3rd ed. Oxford: Routledge, 2013, p.208. 10 McKay, p.209. 11 Abraham, David & Marcia R. Prior-Miller ed. The Routledge Handbook of Magazine Research. Oxford: Routledge, 2015, p.381. 12 Abraham, p.382. 13 Andersson, Patrik & Judith Steedman ed. Inside Magazines: Independent Popculture Magazines. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2002, p.18. 14 Sheppard, Anne Aesthetics: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Art. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988, p.35. 15 Lesilie, Jeremy The Modern Magazine: Visual Journalism in the Digital Era. London: Laurence King Publishing, 2013, p.7.

PERSONALITY IMPRESSIONS

ADVERTS i-D, winter 2014 (ed. Holly Shackleton) Tom Ford’s advertisement campaigns are known to be very racy, with their perfume adverts in particular causing a stir in contemporary culture. The presentation of naked women seems to be a running theme throughout their showcase of products. The Black Orchid advert, in collaboration with British model Cara Delevingne, is no exception to Ford’s style. However, Delevingne’s highly established status meant that the release of this campaign brought a significant amount of attention to the brand, as well as sparking debate. Presented across a double page spread in i-D’s winter 2014 issue, is Delevingne’s unclothed body, but beside the obvious which I will address later, is the environment in which her body has been placed. Flowers are known for their symbolism, take a rose for example, ‘at the denotative level it is simply a flower with leaves and thorns [but also] it is agreed upon in our culture that the rose, especially the red rose, symbolises love.’1 The poppy also holds various connotations representing the remembrance of those lost to war and the relation to opium. The orchid however has a much complex system of meanings as it is not bound to a particular idea that culture can agreed on, therefore its interpretations are vast. ‘John Ruskin’s claims for the importance of art and prescriptions for improving the beauty of everyday life’2 are carried through his work, specifically when he ‘spotted the connection between orchids and sexuality.’3 Once Ruskin noted the aesthetic ‘similarity of many European orchids’ tubers to the male genitalia,’4 he researched further finding ‘the ancient use of orchids as aphrodisiacs.’5 Although in Ford’s ad Delevingne’s body is the obvious stimulation of

sexual desire, connotations of the orchid also parallel this visually and sensually regarding the perfume’s scent, although to most the knowledge that Ruskin discovered is not commonly known. Vocalising his concern for beauty, Ruskin stated that the name orchid was ‘founded on some unclean or debasing association,’6 so he proposed a change from the original name meaning ‘testicle’ [to] ophryds, … the scientific name of the genus that includes the bee, … a name which Ruskin held was entirely free of semiotic smut and suitable for use by ladies of even the most delicate sensibilities.’7 Remembering that this advertisement is enclosed within the pages of i-D, Ruskin’s sensitivity is outdated as the magazine frequently presents daring photography that is less concerned with suitability and more concerned with allusive demonstration. In light of this, Ford’s advertisement would be seen as compatible with i-D’s personality from the perspective of its readers. However, when the magazine duplicated the advert a year later they dramatically cropped the image to only present Delevingne’s head, opting for a more conservative position.

i-D, winter 2015 (ed. Holly Shackleton) This advertisement, presented in i-D’s winter 2015 issue, again displays similar matters that lie with Ford’s ad, especially regarding the degrading imagery and objectivity towards women. The Japanese brand Evisu are less well known in high fashion and cater towards a more alternative market, typically avoiding current trends which fits within i-D’s arbitrary personality. However, this doesn’t excuse from i-D’s decision to support this problematic ad, like Ford’s ad, across a double page spread. The image immediately indicates misogyny as model Camilla Christensen is limp and lifeless, carried like a victory of either strength or of sexual conquer. The imagery of sex is suggested by her clothing, wearing a skin tight, partially transparent, latex bodysuit, a garment that can be linked to a particular sexual genre such as S&M. Further confusion regarding her attire points to the fact that the garment she is wearing has not been designed by Evisu, neither is it presented anywhere in their autumn 2015 collection, which this ad is promoting. However, the negatives of this advert could be counterbalanced by the inclusion of male model Shaun Ross. Focusing on diversity, Ross is an African-American albino with a nose disfigurement. His presence in this ad fights against fashion’s push on ideal beauty, yet even so the striking red background still directs our thoughts to the female model. Like the symbolism of the red rose, we also associate the colour red with love. However various connotations, commonly known in culture, depict red as a sign of danger or warning, also a colour to represent anger or lust. This suggests that the ad is sexually aggressive, however some women suggest ‘that fashion photographs [like this] should be viewed as a form of art and fantasy rather than as representations of fashion.’8

Dazed & Confused, A/W 2014 (ed. Isabella Burley) Juergen teller shot this piece for Vivienne Westwood in Dazed & Confused’s autumn/winter 2014 issue. The ad is promoting Westwood’s accessory collection, simultaneously relevant and humorous, as actress Stella Schnabel is wearing no clothes. The style of this image points towards a significant contrast between Schnabel and her surroundings. Her environment is very relaxed and minimalistic, almost suppressing the fact that she’s naked by making the backdrop fairly dull rather than visually exciting. Schnabel’s arm positioning also suggests detachment, as the clutch bag is held so far away from her body that there is less concern about her being naked as our eyes are diverted to the object that she’s presenting. Her athletic body is proudly presented in a pose that’s alike a competing female bodybuilder. This exhibition is positive in terms of overthrowing the traditional body type that is usually seen in magazines. However, this tradition is still so significant in high-end titles that Westwood’s advert had to be dramatically altered for Vogue’s September 2014 issue, where Schnabel is fully clothed but still presenting the same clutch bag.

Dazed & Confused, A/W 2015 (ed. Tim Noakes) Interestingly, the same Evisu advert is duplicated in Dazed & Confused’s autumn/winter 2015 issue, establishing that they also accommodate such bold, controversial advertisement like i-D. Although comparing the two titles, Dazed & Confused do seem to be more fashion orientated, promoting several high-end brands. However, the advertisement material from these brands is carefully selected to keep intone with the magazines personality, making sure that content is set apart from high-end titles such as Vogue, that traditionally represent these brands in a sophisticated demeanor. In this Louis Vuitton advert it is noticeable that Austrailian model Fernanda Ly doesn’t have a natural hair colour, adding to the quirky style Dazed & Confused exhibit. Alongside this, her makeup is also strikingly dark making her eyes barely visible, suggesting links to punk inspiration. Dick Hebdige, media theorist and sociologist focusing on the study of subculture, believed that ‘punk, in particular, was a strategy of denaturalizing style, rather like surrealism, which had the effect of revealing paradoxical readings of objects, such as unnatural hair colour.’9 This rebellion of tradition is, like Ford’s ad, supported by the surroundings in which the Ly is placed. The concrete focus implies a tough, serious tone impacting Ly’s stance, having her angled to the camera suggesting a standoffish attitude. Vuitton’s ad has somewhat placed Ly in a stereotypical light, now being type casted for alternative shoots because of the impact her hair has on fashion. Instead of being a part of an ad that took inspiration from punk, Ly is now influencing punk style, covering i-D’s pre-spring 2016 issue.

Vogue, September 2014 (ed. Alexandra Shulman)

It is difficult to see where high-end titles stand on this issue of the unclothed body, as Viktor & Rolf’s fragrance advert is presented across a double page spread in Vogue’s September 2014 issue. Although naked, the models body is adorned in pink ribbon and bows painted onto the skin. Because culture associate bows with girls, and especially the colour pink, the body art has highlighted the pure femininity of the ad, rather than drawing attention to sexual aspects because she’s naked. Her pose also suggests a childlike attitude as she sits with crossed legs, looking a little vulnerable as she touches her face, simultaneously concealing her breast. For some a ‘model’s personality … often has more impact … than her clothes’10 presented in an image, suggesting that Viktor & Rolf have acknowledged this advertisement strategy and brushed over the issue of clothing because it doesn’t have a strong effect nowadays. This also corresponds to Vogue itself, as they often choose famous models to appear within the pages, which readers are more concerned about than what they are wearing.

Vogue, September 2015 (ed. Alexandra Shulman) Alternatively, some of the high-end adverts that exhibit clothed bodies can be more suggestive like Balenciaga’s campaign featuring models Lara Stone and Kate Moss, presented across a double page spread in Vogue’s September 2015 issue. Their positioning suggests lesbianism; however, their sideburns suggest male role play. Seduction plays a major part in this ad, as Stone looks intensely at Moss while gripping her forearm, but also in terms of seducing the viewer as Moss looks towards the camera. ‘Goffman interprets this gaze as “licensed withdrawal,” implying that the subject is passive, alienated from, and not in control of the situation.’11 This advert become sexually suggestive when you look at the positioning of Moss’s legs, spread open with Stone positioned in between. The dark shades of colour in the ad also point to an intimate, maybe secretive meeting as the backdrop isn’t a traditional setting to perform such activity. But thinking less about taking it literally, some women would state that ‘this isn’t a serious fashion statement at all. They just want your attention.’12

Cosmopolitan, December 2014 (ed. Louise Court) Dark hues and monochrome photography can also suggest a professional tone as presented in Cosmopolitan’s December 2014 issue. Hugo Boss’s female fragrance Boss Ma Vie is especially suited to the overall branding of the magazine as it is accompanying Cosmopolitan’s mantra of focusing on the strength of women. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow is considered to be a business minded woman having branched out into health and fitness with obtaining several awards for her acting and being a mother of two. However, her success has no correlation to the perfume she wears, neither has it influenced her personality to become ‘strong’ and ‘independent’. On the other hand, this advert could be read as only targeting a specific type of woman, aiming at those that are ‘strong’ and ‘independent’, not a quality that Cosmopolitan are known for because of their vast variety of women that are both presented and read the magazine. Ultimately Boss are trying to sell their product, which is aided by the inclusion of a role model and the presentation of a high status, desirable lifestyle in the city. With these factors in mind, her attire supports the tone of authority as Paltrow is wearing a suit, ‘portrayed as empowered and androgynous, capable of achieving goals and managing others.’13 However, the way that the suit is cut with a plunging neckline, revealing her cleavage, sexualises the image still catering to the idea that women are seeing other women in the mind of men, ‘incorporating masculine standards for female appearance that emphasize physical attributes and sexuality.’14

Cosmopolitan, December 2015 (ed. Farrah Storr) Like Boss’s advert, Estee Lauder’s from Cosmopolitan’s December 2015 issue has replicated the styling of a power suit with a receding neckline. The connotations of the suit being red link back to Evisu’s advert, but the addition of a rose bush establishes that in this case red signifies romance. Historically, ‘a love of plants and nature was an important feature of the romantic age,’15 especially for those that lived in the city. I feel this advert represents romanticism alongside modernism, as the concrete displayed in the background signifies the city and urban life, also the suit highlights the working woman. However, casting your eyes across the image there is a noticeable fade to red in the background, where the beautiful roses are presented, possibly signifying country life and reminiscence of the romantic age.

1 Brand, Jan & José Teunissen ed. Smelik, Anneke The Power of Fashion: About Design and Meaning. Arnhem, Netherlands: ArtEZ Press, 2006, p.161. 2 Schaffer, Talia and Kathy Alexis Psomiades Women and British Aestheticism. Charlottesville: The University Press of Virginia, 1999, p.2. 3 Griffiths, Mark Orchids: From the Archives of the Royal Horticultural Society. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 2005, p.10. 4 Griffiths, p.10. 5 Griffiths, p.10. 6 Griffiths, p.10. 7 Griffiths, p.10. 8 Crane, Diana ‘Gender and Hegemony in Fashion Magazines: Women’s Interpretations of Fashion Photographs’. The Sociological Quarterly, 40 (4), 1999, p.584. 9 Brand, Jan & José Teunissen ed. Calefato, Patrizia The Power of Fashion: About Design and Meaning. Arnhem, Netherlands: ArtEZ Press, 2006, pp.129-132. 10 Crane, Diana ‘Gender and Hegemony in Fashion Magazines: Women’s Interpretations of Fashion Photographs’. The Sociological Quarterly, 40 (4), 1999, p.556. 11 Crane, p.542. 12 Crane, p.551. 13 Crane, p.545. 14 Crane, pp.541-542. 15 Museo del Romanticismo Museum Guide: The Conservatory, p.33.

NOTES 39

SHOOTS Cosmopolitan, December 2014 (ed. Louise Court) FOCUS IN PHOTOGRAPHY ‘Dress history did not really begin until Romanticism and then it was undertaken by theatre specialists.’1 This statement stated by Barthes is fitting to this fashion shoot presented in Cosmopolitan’s December 2014 issue, as the model is almost playing a part, like an actor would, dressed to match the romantic and pure quality of the set. ‘We can enjoy simply looking at a clump of primroses, a well-groomed horse, or a beautiful woman just as we can enjoy simply l ooking at mountain scenery,’2 yet the dresses shown are intended to be acknowledged by the reader as a point of beauty that is higher than the features mentioned, as the garments are the focus of the photographs. However, if an actor was to be presented in costume on a bare stage with no set, then the play would be unsuccessful as although the dress should be the point of concentration, naturally readers are drawn to the whole impact of the photograph, engaged in a story.

Cosmopolitan, December 2015 (ed. Farrah Storr) This shoot, contained in Cosmopolitan’s December 2015 issue, also presents a story-like quality, with a party girl who has supposedly stayed out all night and is finally making her way home through London in the morning. This setting exhibits more of a modern day tone of romanticism, as there is still a vintage style in regards to her clothes and the old-fashioned car but the traditional element of beauty being nature is not included. However, language that is appreciative of beauty is ‘used not only of nature and of works of art but also to express aesthetic appeal of man-made objects … not only women but clothes.’3 Cleverly, the text that is laid over this shoot, strongly influences the reader to focus on the garments presented as each heading is directly associated to each dress exhibited, a feature that is fairly uncommon in high-end editorial shoots, not including the introductory heading.

Vogue, September 2014 (ed. Alexandra Shulman) A GLIMPSE OF TRADITION This shoot, entitled The Wolf in Her, within the pages of Vogue’s September 2014 issue, carries the traits of romanticism in the setting, as nature and an old-fashion lounge is seen by the reader, but this is contrasted by the presence of model Lara Stone, as she is staged in seductive, sexual positions, showing how Vogue’s traditional ideal has changed. A celebration of how there is less of a conservative approach to shoots presented in Vogue should be acknowledged, however the freedom granted of the body can be considered as equally immoral than restricting the body, as the positions presented ‘subtly demean the female subject.’4 It is widely recognised that ‘fashion photography has incorporated blatantly sexual poses from pornographic publications that include sexual cues, such as closed eyes, open mouth, legs spread to reveal the genital area, and nudity or seminudity, particularly in the areas of the breasts.’5 This shoot shows all of the following, aside from closed eyes, meaning once again the reader isn’t initially acknowledging the clothing, rather the approach of how it is presented first.

Vogue, September 2015 (ed. Alexandra Shulman) This shoot in particular, from a September 2015 issue, is very daring for a high-end magazine like Vogue and looks almost like it would fit better in an alternative publication such as i-D. The only features linking to romanticism in this shoot is the inclusion of luxury, historical fabrics such as brocade and jacquard, typically worn by higher classes because the fabrics’ foundation is silk and was traditionally infused with gold or silver threads. Aside from this, the elements of punk style in this shoot are very prominent, with coloured hair, piercings and spiked accessories. The inclusion of these features means that punk style was in fashion at the time, and although it isn’t suited to Vogue’s traditional approach, the magazine is still compelled to acknowledge this trend because of Vogue’s high reputation in fashion. ‘Media do not reflect reality, but construct it. Or to put it differently: media do not represent reality, but stimulate it,’6 ensuring that the reader knows what fashions are current, simultaneously making designers happy as they make sales from Vogue’s prompts in editorial shoots.

Dazed & Confused, A/W 2014 (ed. Isabella Burley) AGAINST THE GRAIN

This shoot, staring Nicki Minaj, in Dazed & Confused’s Autumn/winter 2014 issue, is significantly addressing the fact that she’s not conventional like models in photographs displayed within high-end magazines, being expected ‘to exert greater control over their bodies and facial expressions.’7 However the subtext of ‘greater control’ translates to less freedom, which is a factor that I feel isn’t presented in this shoot. Although Minaj is staged, her body is relaxed, not particularly trying to please the camera, as in the right hand shot she doesn’t even make eye contact. ‘Norms concerning eye contact proscribe [that] staring is a gesture that indicates dominance,’8 however this ‘norm’ is rejected in this shoot as it is her stance and lifted chest that show dominance. Alongside this, another norm of fashion photography is that women ‘are expected to smile and to show pleasant emotions rather than indifference,’9 which also Dazed & Confused haven’t included. They choose to follow an alternative style that opposes typical shoots shown in high-end magazines using the ‘normal’ features listed previously, in their photography.

Dazed & Confused, A/W 2015 (ed. Tim Noakes) The approach of alternative photography like the 2014 shoot of Minaj and this 2015 shoot of Mia Goth, can make the reader uncomfortable as high-end magazines tend to be more commercial therefore followers of fashion are more familiar with their style of shoots rather than a more artistic approach which Dazed & Confused have chosen to focus on. For example, the position that Goth is taking is very abnormal, incorrectly using the sofa for it’s main function: sitting or lounging. Strange features like this ultimately singles the magazine out from others, as ‘denaturalisation [can] show how the ‘style of appearances’ can at the same time be an aesthetic … strategy,’10 with their shoots highlighting the magazine’s individuality, making the competition less of a threat.

i-D, winter 2014 (ed. Holly Shackleton) DEGLAMORISING This monochromatic photo shoot in i-D’s winter 2014, is a presentation of how alternative magazines support and uplift women by showcasing photography that isn’t digitally edited through software such as Photoshop, and neither this there any ‘enhancement’ through makeup. This showcase of natural beauty is opposing the usual high-end ‘fashion photographs [that] generate enormous dissatisfaction among women because they create unrealistic expectations that most women are unable to meet.’11 Therefore this shoot is designed to have a positive impact on women, offering a ‘starting point for female self-consciousness the facts of women’s bodies … precisely because they have been so absent or so misrepresented.’12

i-D, winter 2015 (ed. Holly Shackleton) This shoot presented in the winter 2015 issue of i-D is noticeably less concerned with fashion, therefore instantly deglamourising the shoot, however is more concerned with sexualisation, which almost restores the glamour back to the photographs. Some feminist critics would acknowledge these photos in a way that shows admiration for a woman’s ‘sexuality that is remarkably constant and almost mystically superior to the phallic single-mindedness it transcends.’13 However on the other hand, the features of nudity, open legs and the way she’s sat slouched on the floor, points towards models assuming ‘child-like or contorted positions … [with] the vantage point of the camera [not] at eye level [establishing] looking down … at its subject,’14 like an adult looks down at a child.

NOTES

1 Barthes, Roland The Language of Fashion. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013, p.21. 2 Sheppard, Anne Aesthetics: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Art. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988, p.56. 3 Sheppard, p.57. 4 Crane, Diana ‘Gender and Hegemony in Fashion Magazines: Women’s Interpretations of Fashion Photographs’. The Sociological Quarterly, 40 (4), 1999, p.542. 5 Crane, p.545. 6 Brand, Jan & José Teunissen ed. The Power of Fashion: About Design and Meaning. Arnhem, Netherlands: ArtEZ Press, 2006, p.160. 7 Crane, Diana ‘Gender and Hegemony in Fashion Magazines: Women’s Interpretations of Fashion Photographs’. The Sociological Quarterly, 40 (4), 1999, p.542. 8 Crane, p.542. 9 Crane, p.542. 10 Brand, Jan & José Teunissen ed. The Power of Fashion: About Design and Meaning. Arnhem, Netherlands: ArtEZ Press, 2006, p.132. 11 Crane, Diana ‘Gender and Hegemony in Fashion Magazines: Women’s Interpretations of Fashion Photographs’. The Sociological Quarterly, 40 (4), 1999, p.541. 12 Showalter, Elaine ed. The New Feminist Criticism: Essays on Women, Literature and Theory. London: Virago Press, 1985, p.364. 13 Showalter, p.365. 14 Crane, Diana ‘Gender and Hegemony in Fashion Magazines: Women’s Interpretations of Fashion Photographs’. The Sociological Quarterly, 40 (4), 1999, p.546.

INTERDEPENDENCE

One way of knowing how people respond to fashion magazines is to simply ask them, as Crane conducted a survey on images presented in fashion magazines, from adverts to shoots. She ran the focus group by simply taking pictures from fashion magazines and giving them to five different girls. When presented with an image on its own, and not within the bindings of a magazine, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only naturally that you would analyse the image with greater thought as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;several participants commented that their responses would have been different if they had seen the photographs while flipping through the pages of the magazine, because they claimed they would have looked less carefully at certain photographs under those circumstances.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; But this is exactly the issue, readers very rarely analyse visual elements of a magazine in great depths like I have tired to produce in this study, therefore magazines can get away with more. However, the relationship between the magazine and the reader is purely based on fashion, as that is the genre of magazine the reader is interested in. In light of this, regardless of design the reader should be prepared to encounter all the things that are wrong with the fashion industry and all the things that should be celebrated also. The reader seeks entertainment and knowledge and the magazines provides that, despite a few unethical issues that pop up long the way.

BIBLIOGRAPHY MAGAZINES Burley, Isabella ed. Dazed & Confused. London: Dazed Media, Autumn/Winter 2015. Court, Louise ed. Cosmopolitan. London: Hearst Magazines, December 201. Noakes, Tim ed. Dazed & Confused. London: Dazed Media, Autumn/Winter 2014. Shackleton, Holly ed. i-D. London: Vice Media, Winter 2014. Shackleton, Holly ed. i-D. London: Vice Media, Winter 2015. Shulman, Alexandra ed. Vogue. London: Condé Nast, September 2014. Shulman, Alexandra ed. Vogue. London: Condé Nast, September 2015. Storr, Farrah ed. Cosmopolitan. London: Hearst Magazines, December 2015. JOURNALS Crane, Diana ‘Gender and Hegemony in Fashion Magazines: Women’s Interpretations of Fashion Photographs’. The Sociological Quarterly, 40 (4), 1999. Colette, Shelly ‘Eroticizing Eve: A Narrative Analysis of Eve Images in Fashion Magazine Advertising’. Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, 31 (2), 2015. Strassel, Annemarie ‘Designing Women: Feminist Methodologies in American Fashion’. Women’s Studies Quarterly, 41 (1/2), 2012. BOOKS Abraham, David & Marcia R. Prior-Miller ed. The Routledge Handbook of Magazine Research. Oxford: Routledge, 2015. Andersson, Patrik & Judith Steedman ed. Inside Magazines: Independent Popculture Magazines. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2002. Aynsley, Jeremy & Kate Forde ed. Design and the Modern Magazine. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2007. Bartlett, Djurdja, Shaun Cole & Agnés Rocamora ed. Fashion Media: Past and Present. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014. Barthes, Roland The Fashion System. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1983. Barthes, Roland The Language of Fashion. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013.

Brand, Jan & José Teunissen ed. The Power of Fashion: About Design and Meaning. Arnhem, Netherlands: ArtEZ Press, 2006. Corner, Frances Why Fashion Matters. London: Thames & Hudson, 2014. Cobley, Paul Introducing Semiotics. London: Icon Books Ltd, 2004. Danto, Arthur C. The Abuse of Beauty: Aesthetics and the Concept of Art. Chicago: Open Court Publishing, 2005. Finkelstein, David & Alistair McCleery An Introduction to Book History. 2nd ed. Oxford: Routledge, 2013. Forster, Laurel Magazine Movements: Women’s Culture, Feminisms and Media Form. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015. Griffiths, Mark Orchids: From the Archives of the Royal Horticultural Society. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 2005 Hack, Jefferson & Jo-Ann Furniss ed. Dazed & Confused: Making it up as we go along: A visual history of the magazine that broke all the rules. New York: Rizzoli International Publications, 2011. Landers, James The Improbable First Century of Cosmopolitan Magazine. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2010. Lesilie, Jeremy The Modern Magazine: Visual Journalism in the Digital Era. London: Laurence King Publishing, 2013. McDowell, Colin Fashion Today. London: Phaidon Press Limited, 2000. McDowell, Colin ed. The Pimlico Companion to Fashion. London: Pimlico, 1998. McKay, Jenny The Magazines Handbook. 3rd ed. Oxford: Routledge, 2013. McNeil, Peter & Sanda Miller ed. Fashion Writing and Criticism: History, Theory, Practice. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014. Museo del Romanticismo Museum Guide, 2016. Oliver, William Style Feed: The World’s Top Fashion Blogs. London: Prestel Publishing, 2012. Schaffer, Talia and Kathy Alexis Psomiades Women and British Aestheticism. Charlottesville: The University Press of Virginia, 1999. Sheppard, Anne Aesthetics: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Art. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Showalter, Elaine ed. The New Feminist Criticism: Essays on Women, Literature and Theory. London: Virago Press, 1985. Silverman, Kaja The Subject of Semiotics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1984. Smith, T. V. ed. Philosophers Speak For Themselves: From Thales to Plato. Chicago: The University of Chicago, 1956. Thompson, John B. Merchants of Culture: The Publishing Business in the Twenty-First Century. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2012.

LILLIAN SESIGUZEL